Avery Johnson can Make K-State History in Week 1 Matchup Against Nicholls

Avery Johnson is gearing up for his senior year and is the starting quarterback for K-State for a third consecutive season. Johnson is one of the most experienced quarterbacks in the country. Unlike many of those other guys, he has stayed at the same school his entire career, which is rare in today's college football.

With that much experience at one school, it's no surprise that Johnson is flirting with numerous records heading into the season. He already holds the school record with 25 passing touchdowns in a season. In Week 1, he could become the all-time touchdown leader at K-State, as he is currently tied with his former teammate, Will Howard.

Having Collin Klein back could help lead to best season of Johnson's career

The opportunity to set the school record is one thing. However, doing so in the first game of the Collin Klein era would make it even more memorable. Klein was the offensive coordinator during Johnson's freshman year and was a big reason why Johnson came to K-State. Even though he wasn't the starter that season, Johnson showcased his potential with Klein calling plays.

As the offensive coordinator at Texas A&M, Klein worked with Marcel Reed. The Aggies' quarterback has a similar skill set to Johnson. Klein helped Reed improve each season, and the Aggies played in the College Football Playoff in 2025. Klein's offense puts his quarterback in a great position to succeed, and that could set Johnson up in a big way.

Adding to Klein is a set of skilled position players with big-time upside

The offense Klein is bringing to Manhattan should help Johnson have a big 2026 season. Another thing that should help the senior quarterback is a group of skilled position players who all have All-Big 12 potential.

Running back Joe Jackson teams up with Johnson in what could be the best backfield duo in the Big 12. Last year, no running back was playing better at the end of the season than Jackson. In a game against Utah, he set a school record with 293 yards, while also scoring three touchdowns. Having that type of gamebreaker at the running back position can take an offense to another level.

Johnson's go-to receivers should include Jaron Tibbs, Garrett Oakley, and Linkon Cure. All three are physically imposing and can create major mismatches on defense. If the Wildcats can run the ball effectively, that will create a lot of one-on-one matchups for this trio. All of these guys can win those battles, and it wouldn't be a shock if one of these guys catches that record-setting pass on Saturday.

The game against Nicholls will be memorable for many reasons, and Johnson potentially setting a school record will only add to the excitement.

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